Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer
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Previous cancer research does not adequately inform us about the experiences of managing a more serious, life-threatening cancer condition, especially for underserved Latinas. This study was designed to explore the ways in which Latinas navigate through and deal with advanced cancers. ⋯ This study indicates that underserved Latinas face complex circumstances that interfere with the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. However, women expressed positive attitudes and held beliefs about survival which helped them through their experience with cancer. The implication of these findings is that Latinas have protective attitudes and beliefs that help them to overcome "tragic" circumstances. Providers need to become aware of the complexity of these issues in order to achieve competent, effective, and efficient practice in medical settings with Latinas.
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Support Care Cancer · Dec 2012
The relatives' perspective on advanced cancer care in Denmark. A cross-sectional survey.
In order to improve advanced cancer care, evaluations are necessary. An important element of such evaluations is the perspective of the patient's relatives who have the role of being caregivers as well as co-users of the health care system. The aims were to investigate the scale structure of the FAMCARE scale, to investigate satisfaction with advanced cancer care from the perspective of the relatives of a representative sample of advanced cancer patients, and to investigate whether some sub-groups of relatives were more dissatisfied than others. ⋯ The relatives' level of dissatisfaction with some of the areas included in this survey needs to be taken seriously. Younger relatives were most dissatisfied.
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Support Care Cancer · Dec 2012
French version of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Cognitive Function (FACT-Cog) version 3.
Impairment of cognitive function, a common complaint in patients receiving chemotherapy, is usually measured through neuropsychological tests. Patient self-evaluation of cognitive difficulties is an important complement to those tests. The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Cognitive Function (FACT-Cog) is a self-report questionnaire with potential to be used in standard clinical practice as a tool for evaluating patient's cognitive function before, during, and after chemotherapy. The purpose of our study was to conduct linguistic validation of the French version of the FACT-Cog. ⋯ Results from this study effectively demonstrate that the French FACT-Cog is a reliable instrument for the self-reporting of cognitive abilities in patients undergoing chemotherapy.
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Support Care Cancer · Dec 2012
Prevalence and severity of suffering among patients with advanced cancer.
Suffering is an expression commonly used to describe distressing experience of cancer patients. Suffering experience among patients with advanced cancer has not been studied before in Saudi Arabia. ⋯ Patients with advanced cancer were able to easily rate their suffering on a numerical scale. Pain, tiredness, and depression were associated with the suffering scores. Suffering scores might help in tracing the trend of suffering in the individual patient over time.
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Support Care Cancer · Dec 2012
Identifying the informational and psychosocial needs of Chinese immigrant cancer patients: a focus group study.
The Chinese immigrant community faces multiple barriers to quality cancer care and cancer survivorship. Psychosocial interventions can positively impact quality of life, anxiety, and distress in cancer patients. In this study, we explored the informational and psychosocial needs of Chinese cancer patients to inform the development of culturally targeted support and survivorship interventions. ⋯ Support groups and programs should be developed to address participants' needs for more information on cancer and its treatment. Programs should educate and empower patients on how to find further Chinese language information and resources and effectively communicate their questions and needs to providers in an interpreted encounter. System-level approaches should be implemented to ensure provision of interpretation services. Additionally, programs should incorporate the unique cultural needs of this population related to food/nutrition and Chinese medicine.